There are strong debates going in both directions, which is what makes this subject so tricky. The fact of the matter is, when it comes down to it, hunting can actually be a very good thing for the environment, even for the animal species that are hunted. There are specific rules and regulations governing when a hunter can hunt specific species of animals. It is when people who shouldn’t be hunting or people who can do and do it the wrong way. Life123 Hunting does many very good things for the environment. In a time when most of the natural predators are gone, humans can do a lot to keep the populations of certain species to a healthy level. This works in two ways. It keeps animal species from growing to great and invading on territory not suitable for them to survive as well as keeping the risk of disease from too large a herd to a minimum. If a herd grew too large the weakest ones would end up dying of starvation and disease anyways, in which those diseases could be passed throughout the herd and disease strong and healthy animals which otherwise would have been fine. By hunting respectfully, hunters give the herd strength and stability in its numbers. eHow Besides basic care for the animal species, hunters also do a lot of behind the scenes work, whether they actually know it or not. A portion of each hunting license and hunting stamp fees, hunting range fees, as well as the purchasing of guns, ammo, and other paraphernalia, goes to wildlife foundations to help aid in the protection of the animals, which TRUE hunters are trying to respect. It is funny how much scrutiny hunters get for doing what they do from non-hunters or “anithunters,” making claims that they don’t care about the animals and they just want to kill things, but what they should really be doing is thanking them. By hunters pouring so much money into the sport, much of which goes to wildlife protection, it frees the general public from paying taxes to save the wildlife. Hunters take it upon themselves to make a greater good. All Experts-Hunting When hunters hunt the correct way, with a license, in designated hunting areas, and “for the tradition of the sport,” it is a much more humane way of killing than the alternative way of processing meat on farms, which most people know and couldn’t live without. There is little to no suffering. A good, clean shot could leave the animal dead with in a minute, with only 15 seconds of minor suffering. This is a far greater trade off in comparison to a lifetime of suffering, disease due to hormone injection, and mistreatment which many farm raised animals endure before they are slaughtered for their meat. Hunters can kill with the clean conscious of knowing the animal he just shot most likely lived a great life out in the wild which he or she is indigenous to. The number of true hunters has been dwindling over the past few years, losing its iconic and survivalist value due to the rise in big cities and towns throughout the country (America). This can also be contributed to what I am about to speak about next… All Experts-Hunting Pros and Cons I know you must think I am crazy right now; listening to me talk solely about how great hunting is, praising hunters to the nth degree for all they are and all they do. I realize that that is not the point of the assignment. As I said in the introduction to this piece, the sustainability issue of hunting arises once “hunters” refuse to take the sport and what it stands for seriously. All too often people are caught killing animals without the proper paperwork and in the wrong way, often leading to the over killing of certain species. These people, known as “poachers” are growing in numbers each year, especially in the state of Montana. There have been occasions of CEOs of large corporations paying off contacts to allow the illegal act of people hunting without a license as company perks. This is not only illegal, but also “robs law-abiding citizens of a highly valued public resource,” both in hunting and as a staple to the wildlife landscape, which residents have come to know and love. MONTANA OUTDOORS What comes from poachers is not just an illegal act of killing, but often cruelty and poor tactics, unsportsmanlike-like and uncharacteristic in the sport of hunting. This often involves over killing, illegal killing of endangered species, and baiting. Baiting is when a hunter tricks an animal to stand still to gain an advantage and ensure an easy shot… Not very sportsmanlike. Often times with poachers, they aren’t as finely skilled and they’re shots aren’t always fatal, maiming animals which causes them to suffer and die painfully due to blood loss or disease. If you don’t have a license you may not know or even care what actual hunting season it currently is. This can lead to the decline in animal populations due to reproduction seasons. Unnatural predation can lead to the unnecessary extinction of certain animals.
Rules and regulations are put in place for a reason. Without them the sport becomes pure mayhem and animal species begin to die out. In order to fight the rising annual numbers of poachers hunting illegally there must be stiffer penalties when caught hunting without a license as well as a more rigorous means of obtaining a hunting license. As of now, the fine for hunting without a valid license is anywhere between $500 and $4000. It would also be great if the budget of rangers and other officials to be raised to get more regulators on staff to look out for these poachers ruining our wildlife.
**http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/d/deer_hunting.asp**
**http://members.pioneer.net/~mchumor/law_cartoons.html**
The PROBLEM and SOLUTION
There are strong debates going in both directions, which is what makes this subject so tricky. The fact of the matter is, when it comes down to it, hunting can actually be a very good thing for the environment, even for the animal species that are hunted. There are specific rules and regulations governing when a hunter can hunt specific species of animals. It is when people who shouldn’t be hunting or people who can do and do it the wrong way.
Life123
Hunting does many very good things for the environment. In a time when most of the natural predators are gone, humans can do a lot to keep the populations of certain species to a healthy level. This works in two ways. It keeps animal species from growing to great and invading on territory not suitable for them to survive as well as keeping the risk of disease from too large a herd to a minimum. If a herd grew too large the weakest ones would end up dying of starvation and disease anyways, in which those diseases could be passed throughout the herd and disease strong and healthy animals which otherwise would have been fine. By hunting respectfully, hunters give the herd strength and stability in its numbers.
eHow
Besides basic care for the animal species, hunters also do a lot of behind the scenes work, whether they actually know it or not. A portion of each hunting license and hunting stamp fees, hunting range fees, as well as the purchasing of guns, ammo, and other paraphernalia, goes to wildlife foundations to help aid in the protection of the animals, which TRUE hunters are trying to respect. It is funny how much scrutiny hunters get for doing what they do from non-hunters or “anithunters,” making claims that they don’t care about the animals and they just want to kill things, but what they should really be doing is thanking them. By hunters pouring so much money into the sport, much of which goes to wildlife protection, it frees the general public from paying taxes to save the wildlife. Hunters take it upon themselves to make a greater good.
All Experts-Hunting
When hunters hunt the correct way, with a license, in designated hunting areas, and “for the tradition of the sport,” it is a much more humane way of killing than the alternative way of processing meat on farms, which most people know and couldn’t live without. There is little to no suffering. A good, clean shot could leave the animal dead with in a minute, with only 15 seconds of minor suffering. This is a far greater trade off in comparison to a lifetime of suffering, disease due to hormone injection, and mistreatment which many farm raised animals endure before they are slaughtered for their meat. Hunters can kill with the clean conscious of knowing the animal he just shot most likely lived a great life out in the wild which he or she is indigenous to. The number of true hunters has been dwindling over the past few years, losing its iconic and survivalist value due to the rise in big cities and towns throughout the country (America). This can also be contributed to what I am about to speak about next…
All Experts-Hunting Pros and Cons
I know you must think I am crazy right now; listening to me talk solely about how great hunting is, praising hunters to the nth degree for all they are and all they do. I realize that that is not the point of the assignment. As I said in the introduction to this piece, the sustainability issue of hunting arises once “hunters” refuse to take the sport and what it stands for seriously. All too often people are caught killing animals without the proper paperwork and in the wrong way, often leading to the over killing of certain species. These people, known as “poachers” are growing in numbers each year, especially in the state of Montana. There have been occasions of CEOs of large corporations paying off contacts to allow the illegal act of people hunting without a license as company perks. This is not only illegal, but also “robs law-abiding citizens of a highly valued public resource,” both in hunting and as a staple to the wildlife landscape, which residents have come to know and love.
MONTANA OUTDOORS
What comes from poachers is not just an illegal act of killing, but often cruelty and poor tactics, unsportsmanlike-like and uncharacteristic in the sport of hunting. This often involves over killing, illegal killing of endangered species, and baiting. Baiting is when a hunter tricks an animal to stand still to gain an advantage and ensure an easy shot… Not very sportsmanlike. Often times with poachers, they aren’t as finely skilled and they’re shots aren’t always fatal, maiming animals which causes them to suffer and die painfully due to blood loss or disease. If you don’t have a license you may not know or even care what actual hunting season it currently is. This can lead to the decline in animal populations due to reproduction seasons. Unnatural predation can lead to the unnecessary extinction of certain animals.
Rules and regulations are put in place for a reason. Without them the sport becomes pure mayhem and animal species begin to die out. In order to fight the rising annual numbers of poachers hunting illegally there must be stiffer penalties when caught hunting without a license as well as a more rigorous means of obtaining a hunting license. As of now, the fine for hunting without a valid license is anywhere between $500 and $4000. It would also be great if the budget of rangers and other officials to be raised to get more regulators on staff to look out for these poachers ruining our wildlife.
THE BIBLIOGRAPHY
IMAGES
"Deer Hunting Cartoons." CSL Cartoonstock. Web. 21 March 2010. http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/d/deer_hunting.asp
"Law and Order Cartoons.” McHumor. Web. 21 March 2010. http://members.pioneer.net/~mchumor/law_cartoons.html
INFORMATION
"Hunting." All Experts: (2008). Web. 21 March 2010. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Hunting-1633/Pros-Cons-Hunting.htm
"Hunting-Pros and Cons." All Experts: (2008). Web. 21 March 2010. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Hunting-1633/pros-cons.htm
"The Pros and Cons of Hunting." Life 123: (2010). Web. 21 March 2010. http://www.life123.com/sports/camping/hunting/pros-and-cons-of-hunting.shtml
"Pros & Cons of Deer Hunting." eHow: (2010). Web. 21 March 2010. ******http://www.ehow.com/facts_4796555_pros-cons-deer-hunting.html******
"Making a Killing." Montana Outdoors: (2002). Web. 21 March 2010. ******http://fwp.mt.gov/mtoutdoors/HTML/articles/2002/poaching.htm******